Launch of the Second Epsilon Launch Vehicle (Epsilon-2) with the Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) on Board

November 15, 2016 (JST)National Research and Development AgencyJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will launch the second Epsilon Launch Vehicle (Epsilon-2) with the Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG) on board. The launch schedule is as follows.

It's interesting to notice that in the twitter picture posts, people talk about hard work on the launch structure, specifically about the large duct that was external and now has been placed inside the red metallic structure (it was torn off on the first flight take-off).

It's interesting to notice that in the twitter picture posts, people talk about hard work on the launch structure, specifically about the large duct that was external and now has been placed inside the red metallic structure (it was torn off on the first flight take-off).

A5096/16 - THE JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY (JAXA) HAS PLANNED A ROCKET LAUNCH. DEBRIS FROM THIS LAUNCH WILL FALL WI AN AREA DEFINED AS 2617N15653E TO 2806N15717E TO 2610N16612E TO 2422N16548E TO POINT OF ORIGIN. IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY ALL NON-PARTICIPATING AIR TRAFFIC ARE ADVISED TO AVOID THE NOTAMED AREA. IFR AIRCRAFT UNDER ATC JURISDICTION SHOULD ANTICIPATE CLEARANCE AROUND THE NOTAMED AREA. SFC - UNL, 20 DEC 11:00 2016 UNTIL 20 DEC 12:30 2016. CREATED: 16 DEC 19:56 2016

Here are some Japanese briefing materials on Test Epsilon and Enhanced Epsilon. Apologies if this is a repeat. More information is available on the Japanese site then on the English site. See, for example, http://www.rocket.jaxa.jp/rocket/epsilon/

In short, Stage 2 is new (larger than before), the upper stages now use fixed rather than extendible nozzles, the upper stages are entirely repackaged, and the entire vehicle has been scrubbed for dry mass and cost.

Congrats to JAXA and all others. She really scoots off the pad and wastes no time with a hard pitch-over after just clearing the T/E.

Logged

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December 20, 2016 (JST)National Research and Development AgencyJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hereby announces that it confirmed reception of the signals from Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace (ERG). ERG aboard the second Epsilon Launch Vehicle, launched from the Uchinoura Space Center at 8:00 p.m. on December 20, 2016 (JST). The signals were received in the Santiago Ground Station, the Republic of Chile at 8:37 p.m. (JST). ERG's solar array paddles have been deployed as planned. Also, ERG has completed the attitude control based on the sun acquisition.

The satellite is currently in good health.

JAXA has nicknamed ERG "ARASE" for the following reasons:

ERG starts a new journey to Van Allen radiation belts, located in the Earth's inner magnetosphere, where energetic charged particles are trapped. "ARASE", a Japanese word for a river raging with rough white water is a fitting description for the journey that lies ahead of ERG.

After Arase River, which runs Kimotsuki, Kagoshima, where JAXA's Uchinoura Space Center is located. Arase River has a local folktale of bird's beautiful singing. Since ERG observes "chorus" *, it conveys the significance well.

*Chorus is a plasma wave generated in the magnetic equator of Earth's magnetosphere. Its frequency band ranges within several kHz. Audibly converted, Chorus sounds much like bird's singing.

Updates will be out in a month regarding completion of the critical operation phase of ARASE (ERG).

NASA’s Van Allen Probes, a pair of satellites launched into an orbit through the radiation belts in 2012, are already on the case. Arase carries similar instrumentation and will join the hunt, enabling three-point observations.

Barry Mauk, former project scientist for the Van Allen Probes mission, said the ERG spacecraft is much like one of NASA’s radiation belt storm observatories.

“The big difference is that ERG will fly with substantially higher inclination,” Mauk wrote in an email to Spaceflight Now. “Coordination with Van Allen Probes is a major goal on both sides of the Pacific.”

The Van Allen Probes circle Earth closer to the equator, while Arase’s higher-inclination orbit will allow its sensors to measure downstream conditions, according to Mauk, a researcher based at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland.

Mauk added that the opportunity for joint observations was a major objective identified for the Van Allen Probes’ extended mission, which is approved by NASA through 2018, and was a key justification for the Arase mission to win funding from the Japanese government.

“Just as an example, waves that energize the radiation belt electrons start their growths near the equator where Van Allen Probes are flying, but they propagate to higher latitudes where ERG will fly, where those same waves scatter electrons and cause them to be lost,” Mauk wrote. “We will learn a great deal through coordinated measurements that cannot be easily learned any other way.”

Completion of Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace Arase(ERG)'s Critical Operations Phase

January 23, 2017 (JST)National Research and Development AgencyJapan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

JAXA confirmed completion of the critical operations phase* of Arase(ERG), Exploration of energization and Radiation in Geospace. It results from a sequence of significant tasks that occurred as anticipated: perigee up maneuvers and extension of its wire antennae and masts.

Arase is currently in good condition and is scheduled to enter into a two-month commissioning phase, then followed by a science operations phase.

JAXA expresses its deepest appreciation for the indispensable contributions and support by all.

*Critical operations phase: period initiated at the separation of payload from a launch vehicle until payload’s stability is established. During this period, solar array paddles are deployed, and status of attitude control and tracking systems, and operations of ground tracking and control facility are ensured.